The winner of the match will qualify for the finals of Asia Cup 2023.
The match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan is a virtual semi-final as the winner will qualify for the finals of the ongoing Asia Cup, while the losers will have to bid goodbye. Pakistan, who are currently the number-one ranked ODI team in the world, suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of India in the last match while Sri Lanka’s 13-match unbeaten record too was shattered by India in the last match. Hence, both teams will aim to bounce back with the hope of qualifying for yet another final.
Even in the absence of some of their regular players, Sri Lanka have played some brilliant cricket in the tournament so far. Dunith Wellalage was extremely vital for them in the last match against India as the 20-year-old picked up an excellent five-for and also contributed 42* runs with the bat. Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka too played some good cricket and that should give them confidence ahead of taking on Pakistan.
The Babar Azam-led side meanwhile has a lot of room for improvement. Their batting collapsed under pressure in the last match and that is a major concern. Fakhar Zaman’s form is another thing to worry about and on top of that, Naseem Shah has been ruled out from the remainder of the tournament. Zaman Khan will be replacing the youngster. Babar and Mohammad Rizwan will have to take a lot of responsibility while Imam-ul-Haq too will have to play a key part.
Weather conditions in Colombo, Sri Lanka will be finalists if washout happens
As per AccuWeather, it is going to rain tomorrow during the Asia Cup 2023 Super Four match but that shouldn’t affect the game. The groundsmen are expected to stay busy but a full 50-overs game is expected. It is slated to rain in the evening and once again at 8 pm. However, it is most likely to be a passing shower and the game isn’t expected to stay on hold for long.
In case it is a washout, Sri Lanka will qualify for the finals of the competition due to a superior Net Run Rate (NRR).